Collapsible mandrel for smallmouthed containers



2 Sheets-Sheet Vl ATTRNEY INVENTOR /VNG E MANUEL/ LUM/wn Nov. 28, i939. n. F. MANDELI.

COLLAPSIBLE MANDREL FOR SMALL-MOUTHED CONTAINERS Filed Oct. 24, 1938 Nov. 28, 1939.

l. F. MANDELL CGLLAPSISLE MANDREL FOR SMALL-MOUTHED CONTAINERS Filed Oct. 24, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 NVENTOR.

/RV/NG F: M/NDELL.

LUM/mmf.

ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 2s, A1939` rent orties ULLAPSELE MANDREL FOR SMALL- MOUTHED CONTAINERS Irving F, Mandell, New Rochelle, N. Y., assigner to Reinforced Paper Bottle Corporation, New York, N. EL, a corporatonoi Delaware Applicaties october 24, i938, serial No. 236,820V

11 Claims.

This invention relates to mechanical devices adapted for use as abutment mandrels or formera in setting the bottoms oi hollowA bodies firmly in their bases.

In the construction of containers having a thin wall of paper, metal, or other sheet material, whether cylindrical, polygonal, conical or conventionally bottle shaped, particularly such as have contracted openings for iilling and dis.-

W charging contents, it becomes necessary to insert and secure a bottom closure and effect an impervious, essentially iirrn joint. To accomplish this purpose vit is properly regarded as essential that a rigid backing element,

i5 which may be considered as a mandrel, be entercd a predetermined distance within the body, against the outer face of which the bottom closure rests, retaining the closure in its proper position during its xation and capable of resisting any impacting force at its margin, While coincidently maintaining `the shape and size 0f the container in a positively accurate manner. While this can be easily done if the area atthe open end of the container equals, or exceeds, 5 that of the end in which the closure is secured, when the open end is reduced in area it presents very considerable difiiculties, materially increasing if the areas at the ends of the container body are unlike and proportionately to such variation. at) A metal mandrel capable of passing through the small mouth of a container, thereafter eX- panding to the full diameter of its body, is a desideratum, even an actual necessity, in the manufacture oi certain types of containers and has been regardedy as impossible to attain.

Having this matter in mind, it is an object of the present invention to provide a collapsible mandrel, which in its normal contracted condition, is readily entered into a container bodyv through its small mouth, thereafter expanded to its predetermined limit, which equals the area of the .body at the point of insertion of the bottom closure, and may be approximatelyl twice the diameter of its mouth. 15 A further feature is in the provision'of an expansible anvil which presents a substantially unbroken ring to the interior of the container when expanded, its iiat face lseating the closure in its adjusted'position, and which may be instantly entered and retracted automatically in connection with the closuresetting mechanism.

These important objects are accomplished by the novel construction and combination of parts fix hereinafter described and shown in the accom- (CTI.v 93-59) within" a container shown in broken lines. 5

Figure 2 is a front elevational'view or" the mandrel. l

Figure 3 is a side view of the same shown in contracted position, as in emerging from a container. '10 l Figure 4 is a partial sectional view of the head in operative position.

Figure 5 is a similar view oi the same parts in collapsed position.

Figure 6 is a side elevational view partly in 15 section, showing a modified form in extended position.`

Figure '7 is a front end elevational View of the same.

Figure 8 is a side elevational view, partially e,20 in section of the modified form in operative position.

Referring in further detail to the drawings, the numeral l5 designates a cylindrical sleeve of such diameter as to readily enter the mouth of a l.25 containerk in which a bottom closure is to be set, the container beingindicated by broken lines in Figures 1 and 3.

The sleeve l5 has a reduced outer end It, suited to Vfit a rigid support, part of'the machine in ,30v

which the container isv constructed, and held rnily therein by the threads l1.

in the iront of the sleeve is an enlarged bore i3 receptive of a tight fitted bushing I9, its outwardly extending enlarged portion 2|] uniform in 135 diameter with the sleeve l5.

Mounted slidably in the sleeve and bushing lis a spindle 'or cam rod 22, moved by mechanism connected to its threaded rear end 23.

The extending front end of the spindle has :40 fixed 4upon it a collar 2li, tapered at its overhanging hollow forward end 25 and. provided with a plurality of longitudinal slots 2G in its periphery, the forward edge bevelled as indicated at 21, to presenta cam surface.

The front enlargedv end 20 of the bushing is similarly provided with spaced slots 28, six being shown, alined'with the slots 2S, and close tted to them are iinger bars 3e, their rear ends-held within the slots by pivot pins 3l.v .50

The lever-like bars '30 are rounded at their outer edges, so that when infolded as to agree with the radius of the sleeve l5 and bushing 20.'

On the inner side'edges of each of the iinger bars 3E),r at their rear extremities, areinreaching projections 32 suited to engage in grooves 33 formed in the front portions of the spindle 2,2

and arranged in such manner as to constitute stops limiting the out-turning movement of the bars.

.Theforward curved ends 33A, of the grooves 33, serve ascontactual surfaces co-acting with the rounded forward portions 32A of the projections 32 of the bar 3U, during in-turning and out turning movements of the bars.

Also on the underside of the bars, atpoints in i advance of the pivots, are inreachingcanilugs` 35 having angular rear edges suited to'contact the bevelled cam 2'! at the front of the collar 24, and by it become raised or outturned, as best shown in Figure 4, the lower edge 35 being latercally bevelled and adapted to rest on the bottom of the slots 2B when the spindle 22 is moved f'orwardly relative to the sleeve I5. 1

It is important in the operation of this col'- lap'sible mandrel, because of its relation'to the machine, that they bars 30, with all their as,-

sooiated parts, shall befully controlled during vthe complete action of their in-turning and out.-

turning, with no appreciable looseness, back-lash,

orv uncontrolled movement.

set towards the inner edges, presenting lugs 38`4 extending outwardlyA and are drilled to receive pivot pins 39 passed through nanges lil-lid reaching rearwardly from the central back vportions of curved plates 132, and by which they are hinge'dly attached to the ringer bars.

The plates i2 present flat front faces and arcuate outer edges lill, their radii conforming tothe k inner diameter of the container.

The end edgesof the plates, which are a series ofV segments capable of forming a complete circu` lar seat on the marginal portion of the container bottom closure, are out radially with the axis of the circle and furthermore, these vend edges 5 are formed angularly so that one overlaps the next adjacent, thus completing a substantially unbroken circle, by reason of their close Contact, the bevelled edges permitting the plates to swing clear and free during the inward movement of the bars and entire segmental plate group.

Each of these segmental plates 42 have extending from their rear inner surface, offset from, and to one side of the center of their length, a lug 'tddrilled to receive hooks formed at the outer ends of wire rods 8, which have similar hooks at` their opposite ends engaged in corresponding yopenings in the thin, forwardly projecting end of the collar 2i, but oiTset so that'the rods extend at a denite oblique angle, tangential to the axis of the device. c

From the foregoing it will be understood that 'when the spindle 22 is drawn rearwardly with reference lto the sleeve i5, the plates 42 are turned on their hinged connections Vwith the finger bars` l'Sainte a substantially lengthwise position, all` lparts being closely folded within. an area essentially equivalent to lthat of the sleeve. f

. wardly, theseveral bars are moved outwardly into an angular position, and -coincidently,the plates s2 are'v turned to present a firm flat faced seat to contact the closure element, while at thel v`same time, the periphery of the ring, formed by the segments, is pressed rmly and uniformly into contact with the interior of the container, there held within the machine collar or holderencomi passing it. i

yInthe modification shown in Figures 6, 7, and 8, an essentially similar rigid sleeve has slidably mounted in its a spindle 5i lhaving atvits extending frontend three bevelled cam faces 52. The sleeve'isslotted at its forwardly projecting end, as at 53, and pivoted lon pins 54' are lever arms 5 5 their rearends` 56 curved downwardly and inwardly to engage within corresponding recesses 51 in the spindle .5i

M Adjacently in front ofthe pivots 5G, the levers are each provided with an inreaching lug 58 having a bevelled 'cam face at its under edge to contact" thccams 52 when the spindle is movingk lengthwise relative to' the sleeve.

The outer ends SQ-.of the lever arms are hingedly engaged by pins El, with interengaged elements SZ-t reaching'rearwardly from pairs of opposed arcuate plates @0l-65 which, upon being fully extended, as shown in Figures 6 and 7, 'complete a circular formation; these plates are lformed radially at their end edges and constitute segments.

Pairs of lugs titl-t extend from the rear of the plates Ell- 55, these lugs being receptive of'.

studs 'iii-Jl i', to which are connected links 'l2- 13,

in turn pivotally vconnected at their opposite ends with studs 'ifi set in heads l5 of bars l5, having inturned rear portions 'il connected by pivot pins "H3 in grooves i9 formedin the spindle 5l.

rlhe elements'i to 15 inclusive form, in effect, v

universal joints and are operated in suchfmanner that when the spindle 5t `is retracted, or drawn outwardly, with respectto the enveloping sleeve Eil, as to cause-the plates--65 to pivot on :the axes 6,8 and fold inwardly toward each other, vso that when withdrawn by action of the lever ms 55, as to be within the compass of the sleeve Although the foregoing is generally descriptive lof the best knownembodiments of the invention,

it is to be understood'that minor changes may ybe made within the scope of the appended claims.

I-Iavingth'us'described the invention, what is fclaimedas new, and sought to secure by Letters Patent is t l. Aclosure setting device for the bottoms of containers, comprising a rigid support enterable lthrough the smaller end of the container, f

and an expansible head carried by said support 'to abut the bottom closure unyieldingly along its entire .marginal areay and at a spaced .distance .within the larger end .of the container.

, 2. A closure setting device for small-mouthed .containerscomprising a rigid support enterable through the smaller end of the container and an expansible head composed of swinging segmental plates carried by radially movable arms in said V support to abut a closurev entered within the larger end of the container to a'pred'etermined distance.

3. A collapsible mandrel comprisinga dilatable head, a fixed tubular support extending axially from said head, a spindle slidable in said support, and means actuated by said spindle, when moved relative to said support, to open and close said Conversely, when the spindle is projected forhead toa predetermined limit, said head when dilated presenting a flat substantially unbroken outer surface.

4. A collapsible mandrel for container bottom closure insertions, rcomprising a sectional ring on which the closure seats, said ring contacting the interior of the container when expanded and limiting the insertion of the closure, and means for opening and closing the sections of said ring.

5. In a collapsible mandrel, a head comprising a series of segmental plates having overlapping bevelled ends and arcuate peripheries forming a complete circle when expanded, and a corresponding series of movable arms, said plates pivoted on transverse axes on said movable arms to fold into positions angularly disposed to said arms when said head is contracted.

6. In a collapsible mandrel, a head comprising a sectional ring composed of segmental plates, lever bars to which said plates are hingedly connected, means to fold said bars longitudinally, means to distend said bars angularly outward, and means to turn said plates into different angular positions in accordance with the position of said bars.

7. A collapsible mandrel for container bottom closure insertions, comprising a sectional ring on which the closure seats, said ring contacting the interior of the container when expanded, means to open and close the ring sections, and a rigid support for said ring enterable through the lesser opening in the opposite end of the container.

8. A collapsible mandrel having an expansible head, comprising a sleeve, a spindle therein, lever bars pivoted in said sleeve, co-operative cams on said spindle and bars to move the bars outwardly when said spindle is projected relative to the sleeve, said bars moved inwardly upon a reverse motion, segmental plates so connected to said bars as to form a flat face having a circular pe,- riphery when said bars are moved outwardly, and means to turn said plates through an angle of approximately ninety degrees when said bars are collapsed.

9. A collapsible mandrel having an expansible head, comprising a sleeve, a series of lever bars pivoted at one end of said sleeve, segmented plates hinged to the free forward ends of said bars, a spindle slidable in said sleeve and having grooves to receive the rear ends of said bar, a plurally grooved cam collar fixed on the front end of said spindle, cam lugs on said bars cooperative with said collar, and connections between said collar` and plates whereby the plates are turned uniformly at right angles to the plane of said mandrel when said spindle is in a forward position and approximately parallel thereto when the spindle is moved rearwardly.

1G. A collapsible mandrel having an expansible head, comprising a sleeve, a series of lever bars pivoted at one end of said sleeve, segmental plates hinged to the free forward end of said bars, a spindle slidable in said sleeve and having grooves to receive the rear ends of said bar, a plurally grooved collar fixed on the front end of said spindle, a cam combined therewith, cam lugs on said bars co-operative with said cam, and links connecting one end of each plate with said collar, said links disposed at oblique angles to said bars and operative to tilt said plates into substantially parallel positions upon rearward movement of said spindle and into a uniform level plane upon forward movement of the spindle.

l1. A collapsible mandrel havingan expansible head, comprising a sleeve, a series of lever bars pivoted at one end of said sleeve, segmental plates hinged to the free forward ends of said bars, said plates being in two equal sections hinged at their median line, a spindle slidable in said sleeve, cams on the forward end of said spindle engageable with said bars, said cams causing spreading of the bars when the spindle is advanced, hinged connections between said plates and bars, yokes connecting the adjacent ends of the plate vsections, and connections from said yokes and said spindle whereby the plates are turned into substantialy parallel positions upon retraction of the spindle and present flat level faces upon moving said spindle forwardly to form a flat faced ring, said plates when folded parallel being within a circle of no greater diameter than that of said sleeve.

IRVING F. MANDELL. 

